Spring Cleaning and Carpet Care Tips
Spring is right around the corner. That means longer days, warmer weather, and fun in the sun. But in between all the outdoor activities that Colorado residents are getting up to, it’s a good time to set aside a few weekends to deep clean the house. Here are some areas to prioritize that you might not have gotten to while you were cooped up inside this winter.
Get Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned
Carpets are a top priority for spring cleaning. You’ve had the windows closed pretty much all winter, and that means your carpets have been gathering dust and allergens without a chance to air out. And that’s not to mention the potential spills and extra traffic from having people over during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the Super Bowl.
We recommend that every homeowner clean their carpets professionally at least once a year. Hot water extraction cleaning, also called steam cleaning, forces hot water (often with a cleaning solution) deep into the carpet fibers, then vacuums it out with a powerful suction machine. The hot water not only strips dirt and dust out of the carpet but restores the original shape of the fibers, allowing them to bounce back!
Prepare for More Foot Traffic
In the spring, you’re likely to be in and out of the house a lot more than you were in the winter. Dirt from hiking trails, mud from melting snow, and pollen from new tree growth are going to be tracked into your home, so it’s best to be prepared in order to keep your carpets clean.
Put doormats down, inside and out, at every doorway that leads to the outdoors — and make sure no one wears shoes on the carpet. Regular vacuuming is also crucial to maintaining your clean floors. You should vacuum at least once a week to keep dirt from wearing down the fibers of your carpet.
Wash Your Windows
Nothing makes a house look nicer with less hard work than a quick window wash. On the inside, a wet microfiber cloth is completely reusable and doesn’t require that you spray any potentially harmful chemicals into the air. Just dampen the cloth, wipe away, and wash the cloth when you’re finished.
If you do use some sort of window cleaning solution, don’t waste your paper towels! Using newsprint instead will leave less lint and dry faster for the perfect streak-free shine.
On the outside, hose the windows down first — there could be a lot of residual dirt and grime from the winter left over — then go over all of them with a microfiber cloth. If there are windows you can’t reach, the hose by itself is fine. Don’t do anything dangerous trying to reach a second-floor window.
Clear Out the Clutter
Spring cleaning isn’t just about washing surfaces. It’s also about getting rid of things you don’t need anymore. Go through all of your dressers and closets to find clothes you don’t wear. Be honest with yourself — if you haven’t used the item in the last year, you can probably get rid of it. Donate those items to a thrift store, take them to a facility that does fabric recycling, or cut them up to use as rags around the house.
Do the same for your carpets! You’ve had rugs, furniture, appliances, and other items lying all over your carpet for months or even years, so much that you don’t even remember what the original looks like. But furniture leaves divots in carpet and padding, and dirt and dust can build up over time. By de-cluttering your entire home, you can take a close look at the carpet and see if it can be brought back to life — or if it’s time to look at new flooring.
Do a Deep Clean
If you’re like us, you’ve probably lapsed a little bit when it comes to cleaning the hard surfaces around your house — specifically, bathrooms and kitchens. There are nooks and crannies around your bathroom that probably haven’t seen a sponge in months, and a quick spray with tile cleaner and a paper towel will make a world of difference.
If the walls and floor in your shower are starting to look a little the worse for wear, it might be a good time to replace the grout and caulk. Those sealants tend to get dark and spotted after a while, but it’s easy to fix!
Over time, dust mites and mold spores can gather in areas that don’t get cleaned very often, reducing the air quality of your home and aggravating asthma and allergies. Unlike hard surfaces, carpet traps allergens and irritants, keeping the air quality for your family high. If you clean your carpets regularly — even the parts of the house that you rarely get to.
Stick to It
The most important thing is to make a plan! Write down a list of everything you need to do and check off at least one thing every weekend. Schedule your carpet cleaners ahead of time to make sure that you can fit them into your schedule. If you make spring cleaning a priority, you’ll be finished before you know it!